Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 18
Plant Cell Lines in Cell Morphogenesis Research
Daniela Seifertová , Petr Klíma , Markéta Paˇezová , Jan Petrášek ,
Eva Zažímalová , and Zdeneˇk Opatrný
Abstract
Plant organs and tissues consist of many various cell types, often in different phases of their development.
Such complex structures do not allow direct studies on behavior of individual cells. In contrast, popula-
tions of in vitro-cultured plant cells represent valuable tool for studying processes on a single-cell level,
including cell morphogenesis. Here we describe characteristics of well-established model tobacco and
Arabidopsis cell lines and provide detailed protocol on their cultivation, characterization, and genetic
transformation.
Key words
BY-2, VBI-0, Suspension-cultured cells, Cell phenotyping, Cell viability, Cell density,
Culture friability, Micromorphology, Subculture interval (SBI)
1
Introduction
The idea of in vitro cultivation of somatic plant cells in the liquid
media as the “new type of microorganisms” emerged more than half
a century ago [
1
,
2
] in connection with their potential industrial use.
However, based on natural cohesiveness of plant tissues, plant cell
calli are able to form only more or less viable primary suspension
cultures, composed predominantly of cell clumps/aggregates.
Therefore, most of the present plant suspension cultures can hardly
be denominated “
cell
suspension cultures.” Their heterogeneous
cell mass is convenient for common metabolic or molecular analyses,
but they either hamper or exclude proper simultaneous cytological
characterization and further single-cell-based studies.
Nevertheless, there are few exceptions of plant cell lines that
are suffi ciently and permanently “friable” (i.e., consisting mostly of
free cells and small cell aggregates). They are also showing high
viability, physiologically and morphologically homogeneous cell
population, and, consequently, a stable phenotype. One of the fi rst
real plant “cell cultures,” suitable for at least general studies on cell
morphogenesis and differentiation under the effects of various
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